GHASTLY PUNISHMENT

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 81, 2 October 1929, Page 13

GHASTLY PUNISHMENT

AFTERMATH OF THEFT

"This is rather a distressing ease," said Chief -Detective Lopdell to Mr; E Page, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court to-day when a married woman was charged with stealing a lady's hat valued at £3 9s, and with attempting to commit suicide.

Mr. J. P. B. Stevenson appeared for the defendant, who pleaded guilty to both charges.

Some time in 1928, said the Chief Detective, the defendant went into a shop in Lambton quay and stole a hat. Later, this year, wearing the hat, she went into the shop again, and the hat was recognised by the owner. The'defendant was summoned to appear on a charge of theft, and she was in a great state of distress. She did not appear at Court, and the Chief Detective said that, fearing that something might have happened, ho went to the accused's kouse, and found her with her head inside a gas oven and with the gas turned on. The defendant was very nearly dead. She had been in the Hospital ever since, and had had a very bad time. The accused had been before the Court in 1928, when she was fined £10 for shoplifting.

Mr. Stevenson described the punishment the accused had received' as ghastly. She had been, he said, in the Hospital for three months and a half. For sixty hours she had been unconscious. A crisis had then occurred, and the doctors gave up all ' hope unless someono gave a transfusion of blood. This had been done "and the accused's life had been saved. The accused's action had also . resulted in another loss. Her husband, who was employed out of Wellington, had returned while she was in the Hospital, and had stayed away from work for three months,, losing in this way £.100 in wages. "I am satisfied," said; Mr. Stevenson, "that the lesson she has had is very much more punishment than the Court can inflict." :

"After hearing all thp- facts of the case," said Mr. Page,"it seems to me that this woman has suffered sufficiently, and on.both these charges I will convict and discharge her. I will expect the value of the hat to bo paid within seven days." .. :; i.

Mr. Stevenson gave his assurance that this would be done. '